National Service (Tanzania)

Tanzania People's Defence Force Jeshi la Ulinzi la Wananchi wa Tanzania
Zanzibar, 12 Jan. 2004, celebration of 40 years' of the Revolution
Tanzania People's Defence Force Staybrite cap badge
Founded	1 September 1964
Service branches	Army Naval Command Air Force Command
Headquarters	Upanga(Ngome), Dar es Salaam
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	John Magufuli
Minister of Defense	Hussein Mwinyi
Chief of Defence Forces	Venance Salvatory Mabeyo
Manpower
Conscription	18 years (voluntary)
Available for military service	9,985,445, age 16–49 (2010 est.)
Fit for military service	5,860,339 males, age 16–49 (2010 est.), 5,882,279 females, age 16–49 (2010 est.)
Reaching military age annually	512,294 males (2010 est.), 514,164 females (2010 est.)
Active personnel	27,000 (ranked 85th)
Reserve personnel	80,000
Expenditures
Budget	$220,000,000 (2014 est.)
Percent of GDP	0.9% (2012 est.)
Industry
Foreign suppliers	Russia  China  United Kingdom  Germany  Serbia  Bulgaria  India  Ukraine  Turkey  Australia  Japan
Related articles
History	The Tanganyika Rifles Uganda–Tanzania War (1978-79) Mozambican Civil War 2008 invasion of Anjouan M23 rebellion
Ranks	Rank and insignia of the Tanzanian Armed Forces

The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) is the armed forces of Tanzania. They were set up in September 1964, following a mutiny by the former colonial military force: the Tanganyika Rifles. From its inception, it was ingrained in the troops of the new TPDF that they were a people’s force under civilian control. Unlike some of its neighbors, Tanzania has never suffered a coup d'état or civil war.

The TPDF was given a specific mission: to defend Tanzania and everything Tanzanian, especially the people and their political ideology. Tanzanian citizens are able to volunteer for military service from 15 years of age, and 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school. Conscript service obligation was 2 years as of 2004.

After an aborted mutiny in January 1964, the existing army was disbanded. The new force was titled the 'Tanganyika Military Force', from 25 January 1964 - 26 April 1964. The Tanzanian government concluded that the former British model was not appropriate for the needs of an independent African state. Fresh recruits were sourced from the Tanganyika African National Union youth wing. After the merge of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the force was renamed the United Republic Military Force from 27 April 1964. For the first few years of the TPDF, the army was even smaller than the disbanded 2,000 strong Tanganyika Rifles, the air force was minuscule, and no navy had yet been formed. However the army was four battalions strong by 1967.

From 1964 to 1974, the TPDF was commanded by Mrisho S.H. Sarakikya, trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, who was promoted from lieutenant to brigadier in 1964 and became the force's first commander. He was succeeded by Lieutenant General Abdallah Twalipo 1974-1980;

In 1972, the International Institute for Strategic Studies listed the army with 10,000 personnel, four infantry battalions, 20 T-59, 14 Chinese T-62 light tanks, some BTR-40 and BTR-152, Soviet field artillery and Chinese mortars. 'Spares [were] short and not all equipment was serviceable.'

In 1992, the IISS listed the army with 45,000 personnel (some 20,000 conscripts), 3 division headquarters, 8 infantry brigades, one tank brigade, two field artillery battalions, two Anti-aircraft artillery battalions (6 batteries), two mortar, two anti-tank battalions, one engineer regiment (battalion sized), and one surface-to-air missile battalion with SA-3 and SA-6. Equipment included 30 Chinese Type 59 and 32 T-54/55 main battle tanks.